Massive Data Leak Hits Israel Amid Cyber Attacks
Anti-Israel hackers have published extensive amounts of classified data as Israel struggles to contain leaks. The leaks involve tens of thousands of sensitive documents and emails stolen from Israeli institutions, including the Justice Ministry.
Cyber Attacks Since October 7, 2023
The cyber attacks, which started on October 7, 2023, have targeted several entities, including military and defense contractors, hospitals, and government ministries. Israel’s cybersecurity infrastructure has been overwhelmed by the scale of the breach.
A source close to the investigation said, “The true extent of the damage to Israel’s security and economy caused by these leaks is not yet fully known.” Despite massive investment in defensive cybersecurity measures, the scale of the leaks is likely the most severe in Israel’s history.
Leaked Data on Telegram
The leaked data has appeared on platforms like Telegram, resulting in several takedown attempts by Israeli authorities. However, Telegram’s limited moderation policies have complicated these efforts. Telegram emerged at the start of the war as a key platform utilized by Hamas’ information warfare against Israel.
Arrest of Telegram Founder Pavel Durov
American commentator Jackson Hinkle mentioned that anti-Israel hackers have published the information on Telegram, and the founder of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, who had refused Israel’s request to censor them, was detained by French authorities. Durov, 39, was wanted under a French arrest warrant due to the lack of moderation on Telegram, which allegedly led to the platform being used for money laundering, drug trafficking, and sharing pedophilic content.
Officers from France’s anti-fraud office took the French-Russian billionaire into custody at an airport outside Paris. Durov, who is also the founder of the VKontakte social network, left Russia in 2014 after he refused to share VKontakte users’ data with Russian security services.
Efforts to Mitigate Damage
Israel has tried to mitigate the damage through legal steps and direct talks with tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Meta. However, the hackers have been using decentralized hosting services and “onion domains” which obscure the source of the data and obstruct takedown efforts.
Background of the Conflict
The war in Gaza started after Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people and kidnapping over 240.
Doubts Revealed
Data Leak -: A data leak is when private information is released to the public without permission. This can include things like emails, documents, and personal details.
Cyber Attacks -: Cyber attacks are attempts by hackers to damage or steal information from computers or networks. They can cause a lot of problems for people and organizations.
Telegram -: Telegram is a messaging app that people use to send texts, photos, and videos. It’s similar to WhatsApp or Signal.
Pavel Durov -: Pavel Durov is the person who created Telegram. He is from Russia and is known for making apps that focus on privacy.
Justice Ministry -: The Justice Ministry is a part of the government that deals with laws and legal matters. In Israel, it handles things like courts and legal advice.
Cybersecurity Infrastructure -: Cybersecurity infrastructure refers to the systems and technologies used to protect computers and networks from attacks. It’s like a digital shield for important information.
Mitigate -: To mitigate means to make something less severe or harmful. In this context, it means trying to reduce the damage caused by the data leak.
